The Algerian government has announced the results of its "ProtoMarket 2" initiative, a national challenge aimed at supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. Out of 2,110 projects submitted, 937 have been selected to receive funding totaling 1.1884 billion Algerian dinars ($1.18 billion). The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, aims to support students, graduates, and doctoral students in turning their innovative ideas into prototypes that can be economically valued and commercialized.
The selected projects will receive an average of 1.27 million Algerian dinars ($11,400) in funding. The initiative is part of the government's efforts to consolidate the innovation potential of university skills and strengthen the technological dimension of products developed within higher education institutions. The goal is to encourage the emergence of new innovative companies and contribute to wealth creation by bringing university initiatives closer to the needs of the national economy.
The projects selected for funding are distributed across three main regions of the country, with the East region leading with 333 projects, followed by the Center region with 317 projects, and the West region with 287 projects. This distribution reflects the extent of participation from university institutions across the country. The projects also cover a range of domains, including digital applications and platforms, artificial intelligence, electronic equipment and devices, connected solutions, and the Internet of Things.
The most represented domains among the selected projects are digital applications and platforms, with 314 projects, followed by artificial intelligence with 171 projects, and electronic equipment and devices with 146 projects. Other domains represented include connected solutions, Internet of Things, biological and food products, materials, chemistry, manufactured products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and health products. The diversity of projects reflects the variety of tracks explored by university project leaders and the solutions they seek to develop.
A total of 98 university institutions have benefited from this operation, out of 117 targeted incubators. These structures play a role in accompanying project leaders in their journey, from the maturation of ideas to the development of solutions that can meet economic and social needs. They contribute to strengthening the technological maturity of projects and preparing them for potential commercialization.
The "ProtoMarket 2" initiative is part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research's efforts to strengthen the links between training, scientific research, and the economic world. The funding awarded will allow project leaders to concretize their proposals and take an important step in their development. The initiative aims to support the transition from idea to prototype, with a view to transforming university innovations into products that can be manufactured and commercialized.
The "ProtoMarket 2" initiative is a mechanism for supporting the passage from idea to prototype, with a view to transforming university innovations into products that can be manufactured and commercialized. It is part of a approach to valorizing national skills and promoting university entrepreneurship, with a perspective of developing new companies and increasing the university's contribution to wealth creation.
Key points
- 937 projects have been selected for funding out of 2,110 applications.
- The total funding awarded is 1.1884 billion Algerian dinars ($1.18 billion).
- The initiative aims to support innovation and entrepreneurship in Algeria by providing funding to university students, graduates, and doctoral students.
